Past winners of the Roma Liggins Scholarship will be special guest performers at the Taree and District Eisteddfod’s 50th anniversary grand concerts.

They have been invited back to celebrate the achievements of the eisteddfod and its many participants of the past.

“These special guests will perform at both concerts and are all from this area originally,” said eisteddfod grand concert co-ordinator Gillian Herbert.

Among the former Roma Liggins Scholarship winners to perform is Andrew Chubb.

Andrew won the scholarship in 1991.

A talented pianist and violinist, he now teaches piano, has lectured at Newcastle Conservatorium, and is also achieving notice as a composer.

Andrew has recorded the works of composer Phillip Glass and will be playing two of them at the concerts.

Scholarship winner of 2009 Nyssa Milligan is a much in-demand freelance singer.

She studied her Bachelor of Music (Performing) from Sydney Conservatorium, won the Diane Wishart Scholarship and currently performs with a variety of choirs including as Oratorio soloist at Sydney Conservatorium.

Kye Maurer won the scholarship in 2008 and now has his Bachelor of Performing Arts in Dance and performs throughout Australia, especially in Perth and Western Australia.

He has delivered workshops for the Sydney Dance company, and worked in Tokyo from 2014 to 2016 for Tokyo Disney Resort.

Last year’s Roma Liggins Scholarship winner Keegan Gibson is studying in Year 11 at Great Lakes College and continues his work as a guitarist playing in every possible local context, including Tastefest on the Manning and for the Great Lakes College musical Grease.

“In addition to these four, Gloucester Public School choir has been invited to perform as they have won their section, Song and Movement in costume, for several years in a row and have also received the special award for the best choir,” said Gillian.

“This year they won their section again with a medley from The Sound of Music which they will perform at the evening concert.

“There are more than 60 children in this choir and they convey their enjoyment of their singing on stage in a very moving manner,” she said.

“Nearly 60 performances will be given over the two concerts, involving over 200 performers, both adults and children.

“These include groups such as the Manning Valley Concert Band, Andrea Rowsell School of Dance and the Cundletown Public School Years 5/6 choir in the afternoon, and Port Macquarie Performing Arts Dancers and a great smaller band led by Larry Belton in the evening. There are many talented solo performers too.”

The winner of the coveted Roma Liggins Scholarship, worth $1500, will be announced at one of the concerts.

The concerts will be held at the Manning Entertainment Centre at 2pm and 7.30pm this Saturday, June 17.

In celebration of the anniversary year, patrons attending are encouraged to wear something gold.

Tickets are adults $24, pensioners $22, children under 18 $12. They can be purchased online at www.themec.com.au or by phoning the MEC on 6592 5466, or at Stockland Forster information desk.